Friday, October 21, 2011

WARREN BUFFET IS ONE OF US?

By all accounts, Warren Buffet is one of the 1% elite of this country, huge wealth, far removed from the 99% working classes that are the backbone of our economy. I read in our local paper ‘s letters to the editor: “Corporations aren’t bad, they are the only ones who hire people. Without them we wouldn’t have any jobs.”
Had that writer ever figured out why corporations fear unions and strikes? Without workers they can’t stay in business. And he is wrong about corporations anyway. Small Business America hires more people than corporations. They don’t pay as well, but they are truly the backbone of the American economy.
Yet, Warren Buffet went on record as a one-percenter who claims the wealthy, like himself, should pay their fair share of taxes. Imagine that! His latest shocking statement on CNBC? “I could end the deficit in five minutes. You just pass a lawthat says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.” Don’t you just love it? Yup! Warren Buffet is one of us.
This Congressional Reform Act is continually passed to millions of we 99% ers, (not official unfortunately.)*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in officeand receives no pay when they are out of office.2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. Allfunds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Securitysystem immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used forany other purpose.3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americansdo.4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional paywill rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in thesame health care system as the American people.6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the Americanpeople.7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective1/1/12.The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmenmade all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor,not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so oursshould serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.
Amen, I say. But, yesterday, I got a new one that kind of reflects the way many of us regard congress. My friend Guerry Bowen sent it to me and he may or may not be the author:Oh please… Let me make my comment regarding congress. Where do I start? 1. The Capital building is now a museum in honor of past statesmen. 2. Congress assembles in a giant Fest-Tent, the kind they use at Oktoberfest (with only 1 potbelly stove in the center). 3. Each congressman receives a folding table and 2 folding chairs (one chair for his use; one chair for an assistant). 4. Each has a rotary telephone. 5. Each pays $50K his first term and an additional $20K for each successive term. 6. Each pays $50K for every contact with a lobbyist. 7. Every bill explicitly is named for that which it pays. I.E., a “Fix the Interstate” bill has funds only allocated to fix the Interstates with no pork added.
To end this diatribe, we all know there are decent, hard-working people in congress, and they suffer along with the money eating slugs who have forgotten the words in the Preamble to the Constitution that state part of the duty of government is to: PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE . Let us not forget that this government is supposed to befor us.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.